Southern Downs Flexible Learning Hub founder Owen Bonney said students became disengaged when they could not succeed in the mainstream schooling system for a number of reasons like poor concentration and childhood trauma.

"There are medical, social, emotional and academic issues why some students just do not fit in a normal classroom with a teacher in front of white board,” Mr Bonney said.

"Some young people just can't sit in that kind of environment.”

Disengagement from school may be expressed in a number of ways including misbehaviour, not participating in school work, social withdrawal, school suspensions and anxiety symptoms.

"There could be a loss in learning at some point through primary school and the further it goes along the more they fall behind and they get frustrated and act out or withdraw. Students may have anxiety, experience bullying or don't want to go to school,” Mr Mason said.

Alternative education programs like the Mt Gordon alternative program and the Southern Downs Flexible Learning Hub help disengaged students re-engage with education or look for alternative pathways towards employment.

"At the moment we concentrate on maths and English to build those skills, but we also look at projects to help with their social and emotional needs, team building and being able to work with one another,” Mr Mason said.

Mr Mason said students who were struggling in mainstream schools could apply to enrol at the Southern Downs Flexible Learning Hub, which has recently moved from Kingswood to a new site on Glengallan Rd, just 800 meters from the Warwick Christian College Slade campus.